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Skriven 2006-08-21 23:31:26 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0608211) for Mon, 2006 Aug 21
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Fact Sheet: United States Humanitarian, Reconstruction, and Security
Assistance to Lebanon
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For Immediate Release
August 21, 2006

Fact Sheet: United States Humanitarian, Reconstruction, and Security
Assistance to Lebanon


ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Peace in the Middle East

Today, President Bush Announced That The United States Was Planning To
Provide Over $230 Million In Humanitarian, Reconstruction, And Security
Assistance To Lebanon. $27 million of this assistance has already been
provided. This assistance aims to strengthen Lebanon's sovereign,
democratic government, help the Lebanese people rebuild their country, and
ensure lasting peace and security for the entire region.

Humanitarian Assistance

The United States Is Leading The International Effort To Bring Urgently
Needed Humanitarian Relief To The People Of Lebanon. From the onset of the
conflict, U.S. diplomatic, military, and disaster relief personnel have
coordinated with the Lebanese government, non-governmental organizations,
and allies to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people.

The United States Has:
  þ Delivered medicine, fuel, shelter, food, and water to the Lebanese
    people.
  þ Helped international relief agencies and non-governmental organizations
    arrange convoys to bring critical supplies to civilians in the conflict
    zones.
  þ Worked with the Israeli and Lebanese governments, as well as partners
    in the region, to open ports, shipping lanes and runways, to allow the
    delivery of urgently needed supplies.
  þ Helped to secure the early reopening of the Rafik Hariri International
    Airport in Beirut for passenger and humanitarian flights.
  þ Helped to ensure the resumption of fuel supplies for Lebanon's
    principal power plants.
  þ Worked with Lebanese officials and others to alleviate shortages in
    gasoline and diesel for vehicles.
  þ Dispatched a shipment of 25,000 metric tons of wheat to Lebanon to
    ensure an uninterrupted supply of food.

Reconstruction Assistance

The United States Commitment To Lebanon Will Continue Beyond The Stage Of
Immediate Relief. Our commitment to bolstering Lebanon's fragile democracy
and assisting the Lebanese people is enduring and unwavering.

The United States Will:
  þ Assist in efforts to rebuild key bridges and roads and to make them
    passable as soon as possible.
  þ Support the rebuilding of homes and other private infrastructure in the
    hardest-hit areas of Lebanon, especially the South.
  þ Support the rehabilitation of schools so that Lebanese children can
    return to the classroom.
  þ Assist with the cleanup of the Jiyyeh oil spill and the resulting
    pollution, in order to restore livelihoods and protect people's health
    in coastal communities.
  þ Assist in the disposal of unexploded ordnance, and fund demining and
    mine awareness programs.

Security Assistance

The Cornerstone Of A Sovereign And Independent Lebanese Government Is A
Strong And Effective Lebanese Army. The United States will assist the
Lebanese Armed Forces and Lebanon's national police to ensure that they can
extend government authority throughout Lebanon, secure Lebanon's borders
and ports of entry, and ensure that no armed groups exist in Lebanon
outside the authority of the state.

The United States Will:
  þ Provide the Lebanese security services with new equipment and spare
    parts to service existing equipment.
  þ Work with international partners to provide the Lebanese security
    services with up-to-date training.
  þ Continue programs to modernize and professionalize further Lebanese law
    enforcement organizations, and bolster their ability to address the
    growing terrorist threat in Lebanon and the region.

The Assistance Of The U.S. Government Is A Reflection Of The Generosity Of
The American People. In order to tap into the generosity of America's
private businesses and individuals, a high-level Presidential delegation
will be dispatched to Lebanon in order to help channel private U.S.
donations to needy people and organizations.

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